By Martin Walker Newton Aycliffe defender Darren Craddock says a failure to replace top players in the last year is the main reason for the club’s dip in fortunes. The experienced centre-back is also pointing the finger at some of his team-mates, saying some of them aren’t “pulling in the same direction”. Aycliffe slumped to...

By Martin Walker A fire chief has reassured Newton Aycliffe residents that the service offered by the town’s brigade will not change – despite reducing its workforce. The number of fire fighters at Aycliffe will be reduced from 24 to 14 as part of a new shift pattern. But the brigade insists there'll be no redundancies - with...

By Martin Walker A councillor says a problem road near Tesco in Newton Aycliffe is an “accident waiting to happen”. Great Aycliffe Town Council is calling for the adoption of the road which runs in between Tesco and the Youth Centre, from Burn Lane to Greenwell Road. Councillor Vince Crosby says the road has been a problem since...

Colin McNeillie's gallery of action pictures from Newton Aycliffe's 1-0 defeat at Newcastle Benfield on Saturday... ...

Newton Aycliffe Youth Centre FC Secretary Berni Borsberry rounds-up the weekend’s action… The season continued with a full league program starting on Saturday with the under 11 girls. The first game v a strong Washington Wildcats would see how the girls had progressed since the first meeting which Washington won...

Brodie Millichap picks out this week’s TV highlights… Five Picks Of The Week Classic Car Rescue: Monday 8pm, Channel 5. New six-part series in which Bernie Fineman and Mario Pacione search scrapheaps, wastelands and even backyards in an attempt to find classic cars in need of restoration. This episode sees the duo take their skills...

By Martin Walker Aycliffe defender Darren Craddock has issued an alarming warning to the club’s underperforming players – “keep this up, and we’re going down”. The former Hartlepool United defender, who may well feel disillusioned with Aycliffe’s current predicament after turning down summer approaches from Spennymoor and...

By Martin Walker Newton Aycliffe slumped to the bottom of the Northern League first division with their eighth defeat of the season at Newcastle Benfield. The toothless Newtonians lacked any kind of creative idea on Tyneside as they lost their sixth consecutive away game of a miserable campaign. Allan Oliver’s season is going...

By Martin Walker Police have confirmed a meteor shower flashed across the North-East skies last night. Several Newtonians spotted the unidentified flying object around 11.30pm on Friday evening. Durham Police have said they received a flurry of calls, confirming the origins to be a meteor shower. A force spokesman said: “We were...

By Martin Walker Woodham’s Sports Academy director Liam Clough says the school wants to create its own sporting legacy after an unforgettable Olympic Games this summer. Mr Clough admits sports participation levels have decreased in recent years. But with the school’s new Sports Academy being launched by ex-pupil and Olympian Jason...